Winter has Arrived

Looking out the front door at our first real snowstorm... about a week 1/2 ago. (loving the Colonial Red we painted our house this summer! Looks great in the white snow, just as I'd planned :) Hubby could NOT understand, 'til now.)

The kids are OBSESSED with the characters in this well-loved book. Especially Agustus Gloop and Veruca Salt. I'm loving re-living my childhood through this book and them during out-loud reading time. My preference is the Gene Wilder film version - my vintage. They have not seen it yet but scowl at the Johnny Depp version - it's too scary for them. Depp is a bit edgy for them, I suppose... but I don't mind him at all ;)

Mister Knightley looking tame and mild in the early morning kitchen.

Fabulous mittens, hand knit. I found them at the annual Handmade Parade sale in Spokane... these were worth scratching and grabbing over :) I love 'em, especially on a dog walk.

Looking forward to the weekend... I'm working on a quilt loosely inspired by Jude at Spirit Cloth. It's been a long process, since a lot of months were spent looking, passing by... thinking and putting away. Was unsure of how or what to do with this beginning but, one day I just started adding, slowly... figuring it out along the way. I'll share soon :)

Snowy Swallows and Corgis

I painted this swallow - sky drawing last summer. The blue dots were summer sky with sunlight filtering through. Looking outside today at the wintry white world, it takes on a completely different context. I thought it went well with the dogs casually hanging around in our snowy back yard.

Come on spring... visit us soon.

Trying Something New...

Here are some new things I'm working on. I'm trying my hand at ACEOs! It is a great way to do faces, which I love more than anything --in any way, shape or form. These will soon land in my etsy shop once they are painted. (they're pencil drawings on Rives BFK paper.)

An artist is born!

A few more ACEOs in the making.

We just had another huge snowstorm yesterday... I've spent my daughter's nap time shoveling for so many days!! (it's usually my 'art time' or bath time!) This may be routine for people raised in snowy winter country but, I'm from a milder climate where we may get small amounts of snow, which then melts pretty fast. I guess my mind-set is based on what I knew first.

Oregon Winter

Oregon Winter, acrylic on canvas. 30 x 40 in.

Here is a painting I did a few years ago of my husband and son who was about 1 1/2 years old. We were visiting Portland in January and went to one of our favorite parks in Lake Oswego - George Rodgers Park. It's right on the river and has beautiful views and an old brick smelter with a Gothic arch. I used to have drawing and watercolor class there in the springtime - I have such great memories of that place. Now I need to do some with my little girl who is now about the same age.

Tadpole Hunting and Snow

Here is my woodcut that is progressing along quite nicely. There are so many leaves to focus on and cut with my hanga-tu (spelling!? It's phonetically correct, though.)
As soon as I clear more areas, I'll do a crayon rubbing and post it.



Here is a nice, fluffy tree near the corner of my deck, it normally reaches the railing but, the snow is so heavy it has flattened it out, practically to the ground! We were out shoveling snow for about 2 hours today, I can't believe the amount we've gotten in 24 hours. In a word... snowbound.
Just please let us not lose power, I need the computer, bath water and a way to keep the restless kids fed!!